Have been playing around with myUdutu, an online learning authoring tool with which you can build your own courses. You can choose a theme, upload your logo, include assessments with audio and text feedback options, create slideshows, add & stream narration, add groups, scenarios, add flash, videos, documents and links.
You can extract the course into a zip file which has your self contained course in SCORM 2004 or SCORM 1.2 compatible format which can then, according to myUdutu, be:
loaded into your existing CMS
distributed via CD
hosted on your own webspace
kept for your archives
It is free to author, preview and pilot it but there is a watermark (which you click to remove) on the pages until you choose the publish live option. Then it appears to be that you must purchase screens for hosting which are $1 each. I’ll post a sample course when I’ve finished creating it.
WiZiQ is a free virtual classroom with live audio-video communication, chat, content sharing, and session recording capabilities. A demo is available on the site and from what I’ve seen it looks very straightforward. The video below also gives a brief outline of the features:
A quote on the VastPark website describes this as “the Ning of virtual worlds”. VastPark is a 3D interactive platform which apparently allows you to create your own world. It is being labelled by some as the next Second Life.
The program has been in development since 2003 and since then the founder, Bruce Joy, says the focus has been on:
“how to scale the virtual web up to millions of worlds; how to connect them together; and how to solve the infrastructure issues so that no one person or company ‘owns’ the virtual web. Although our ‘beta’ software implementation requires Microsoft Windows®, our underlying framework is absolutely cross-platform and non-device specific.” (Bruce Joy, October 2007)
The Beta 2 version has now been released and you can sign up for the closed beta here. It seems to be an interesting development so I’ll be keeping an eye on progress.
McDonalds is the focus of the BBC article, (’McDonalds to Serve up ‘A Levels’ ) and (’McDonald’s A-level ‘tough course’, says Brown’)
of the Education Guardian . Both articles focus on McDonalds and then go on to include the other two less newsworthy companies, Flybe and Network rail, who have also been approved awarding body status to Level 3.
There is further information about awarding body status being given to employers on the QCA website.
Gliffy is an online tool which enables drawing and sharing diagrams online. One of the advantages is that you do not have to download software. You simply join sign up for Gliffy and use it in your web browser. The basic version is free and you can upgrade to a premium account which is ad free and has additional features e.g. private files. You can create flow charts, mind maps, network diagrams, floor plans, technical drawings etc. and collaborate with colleagues/students on your design. Gliffy has been around for a while and we featured it on our Web 2.0 course in 2006 but it has a new look and additions.
I’ve just been told me about a human anatomy visualisation tool called Visible Body which I have downloaded and had a play with. It features a 3D, interactive human anatomy model. You need Internet Explorer to run it. The video here gives a brief overview:
In Touch Care in Sheffield use 3D resources which they purchased from Amazing Interactives as part of their LIG2 bid (Learning Innovation Grant) and have found them to be extremely effective teaching aids for their Health & Social Care, Oral Health and Childcare courses. Jo North, the Executive Director of In Touch Care, prepared a podcast for us on the developments made through strategic planning, excellent technical support in house, investment in 3D interactive aids, simulators and staff development in the use of these tools, two parts of which you can view in the video section of our social networking site mrscyhspace. The videos are not edited in a whizzy way yet but are still useful as Jo North sets out very clearly each stage of her organisation’s e learning journey and describes how the 3D and other tools have been used effectively.
Some professionally made videos about In Touch Care can be viewed on their website.
The RSC YH Social Network for Work Based Learning Providers can be found here. To join just click on Sign up. In this space, you can add photos, videos, blog entries, create your own groups and network with other providers. On the social networking site I have posted the first part of the video of Jo North from In Touch Care that we filmed especially for the RSC YH Work Based Learning launch event. In this video she explains what In Touch Care has done as a result of LIG 1 & 2 phases of funding (Learning Innovation Grant ) for which she has submitted successful bids.
The JISC RSC YH Work Based Learning Launch Event took place on Wednesday 14th November 2007 at Bedern Hall, York. The event report is available via the RSC YH website events page
What delegates said about the event:
• ‘It was good for sharing practice, looking at and getting ideas and resources for implementing e learning.’
• ‘Very informative in all sessions’
• ‘[Good for] information on new types of technology; explanation of bid requirements (LIG3).’
• ‘The RSC team [were good] and the ideas that you were trying to put over and develop. Very good and positive speakers.’
• ‘Presentations helped to gather further ideas to develop e learning.’
• Excellent technology, particularly Amazing.com’
• ‘[It was good] being shown activities of other providers and being able to network.’
Suggestions for future events and RSC support for Y&H Work Based Learning Providers were:
Undertaking ‘e reviews in WBL’ – recording pastoral support
Assessor training in the use of ‘E’ collection methods – how to photo/video observations, etc
Bid writing techniques, including method of scoring/assessing bids
Sharing information about learners, speaking of their experience.
Subject specific examples
Technologies to support learners with learning difficulties
Hands on workshops
As a result of the feedback from the event and the Work Based Learning support survey, we are planning events and support materials around all delegates’ requests.
Events Planned:
Bid Writing
E Guides Forum (with hands on workshops & good practice examples)
Thank you to all Y&H Work Based Learning Providers who completed the RSC YH WBL Support Survey. The results have proved very useful and informative when designing the support programme for Work Based Learning providers in our region.
In total, 29 providers completed the survey. If you haven’t yet done so you can find it here. You can also download (just click download once you access the presentation in slideshare) a brief outline of the responses to some of the key questions by going to slideshare here:
The Centre for Excellence in Leadership has developed 3 toolkits, one of which is for WBL leaders. The aim of the toolkits is “to encourage the use of e-learning and technology and to assist leaders to use technology effectively to enhance and support their business operations” A notebook facility allows the use of the toolkits for noting of CPD requirements.
To get access to the toolkits you have to subscribe for 12 months and apparently they are updated on a quarterly basis.
Each subscription provides 10 individual users and costs £518+VAT per organisation.
WBL & ACL providers are entitled to a 50% subsidy and ISC providers 25% subsidy.
According to CEL this toolkit is tailored specifically to the needs of WBL providers. I haven’t seen the toolkit so I can’t give any personal views on its effectiveness. However, I am told that it has 9 interactive topics covering the core business areas crucial to improving organisational effectiveness.
Launches of the toolkit are on the following dates:
30th April – Manchester
13th May – London
For further information go to TOOLKIT@CENTREFOREXCELLENCE.ORG.UK or phone 0870 060 3278
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